By Daniel L. Bamberg
Daniel@centrevillepress.com
On August 19, following several concerns voiced by citizens we printed a story about areas of Bibb County receiving an herbicidal treatment along the rights of way. Mostly this seemed to be occurring in rural areas. County Road 20 (Antioch Road) was one of the major spots where this was occurring. Citizens were upset about the appearance of the scenic areas once green, now dead and brown. Some have called it “tacky” and even “pathetic.” Others were concerned about potential dangers with some of this spray seeping into the ground and even the water in places. Alabama Power was contacted and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) regulations were investigated. It was revealed that this treatment was apart of an EPA approved series of methods known as “Integrated Vegetation Management” or IVM. These practices claim to have an ultimate goal of beautification, control of pests, and of coarse the clearing of rights of way for utility companies to access them. Other methods used in areas include, controlled burning and mowing. According to Alabama spokesperson Keisa Sharpe the herbicidal treatment is not practiced by them, but rather contracted to a company, which does this work. Sharpe however explained that the herbicide used was not much stronger than over the counter products such as “Round-up.”
Sharpe’s response to the press did not satisfy every citizen who complained initially. Instead more citizens came forth with stories of dead birds being found where the spray was used. It was even revealed that this practice of herbicidal treatment was being used within the city limits. Others reported that personal flowers and bushes were destroyed in their yards, which were barely on the right of way. None of this could be actually confirmed by the press. We could confirm, however that several dead frogs were found in the area near Scottsville Road where one particular citizen had been so afraid of this poison’s potency that he would not let his children play near the areas sprayed.
“If you go south of Brent on hwy 25, past Piggly Wiggly, you come to South Scottsville Rd on your right. It is the first of 2 entrances of the housing authority. Turn onto Scottsville next to the small metal shop and go to the end of the street, which is blocked by a gate to the toy plant. To the left, approaching the gate, you’ll see the dead vegetation including a beautiful old European rose that was sprayed. I've had to stop my children from riding bikes there because of the large number of dead frogs that were in and around the spring,” said Kenny Davenport of Brent.
A resident of Tapper Road who preferred anonymity said this was a reoccurring problem in his area. The citizen expressed every time the frogs seem to be coming back they get killed. One of the major concerns for the Tapper Road resident is that this poison is running off into a nearby spring. In the earlier report a resident of Six Mile believed the water was running into a spring, which provided drinking water to the area. Even some have had their gardens sprayed. Jamie Belcher of Six Mile has a pig that was in a single pen about 8 feet from a right of way sprayed for a single vine. According to Belcher the pig has begun developing sores. Belcher also lost an entire season of squash from plants he had within a few feet of an on-property right of way. This particular light pole was also sprayed for a single vine. “That vine clearly by anyone’s logic could have been pulled up by hand. Not just that but it had a long time to grow before it was going to become a problem,” Belcher said. Belcher and his wife got two batches of squash from their rows before the spraying. Since the herbicide was used, according to Belcher, they’ve had nothing.
As this story developed into something bigger and even more important to the community the shift of blamelessness has been abundant. Alabama Power could not confirm anything after our first article. After the Alabama Department of Transportation was seen using herbicide trucks in the area by citizens and staff of the Centreville Press they were contacted repeatedly. The “person in charge” of such things changed names and positions like chameleons change color. It took nearly 4 weeks to get any official word from ALDOT. When they finally agreed to go on record, it was through email. Nobody actually answered anything directly. Instead some questions remained unasked and unanswered. ALDOT did however take the opportunity to express the only areas they spray are state and U.S. highways. ALDOT went on to suggest they were not aware of any problems in Bibb County. According to Patsy Harris of ALDOT, “ We have one herbicide truck that assists in the vegetation management in both Chilton and Bibb Counties.”
Who is spraying these areas? Apparently every herbicidal truck witnessed by a citizen is not the culprit. Is an invisible entity with an unknown agenda; killing frogs, killing birds, killing roses, scaring citizens, and destroying the beautification of this community? More information will come concerning this ongoing story.
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